Carol Chargot: Squash: An autumn staple

Carol Chargot

Squash is to fall what asparagus is to spring and cranberries are to the holidays. Squash is for the holidays, too, so you might want to stock up at the farmers markets, which are getting ready to wind down for the year. Sad but true.

All squash are gourds with seeds inside and protective skins outside. Summer squash are picked when immature, making the skins and seeds edible. Probably you're most familiar with yellow squash and, of course, the ubiquitous zucchini.

Winter squash on the other hand are picked fully mature and the skins are hard, protecting the flesh inside. You will need a very sharp butcher knife in order to cut open these babies. The seeds are large and should be discarded.

Unlike many vegetables, squash are native to the Americas. In fact, the Incas cultivated them centuries before the English settlers arrived for their first Thanksgiving dinner.

If you're a bit confused by all of the winter varieties, perhaps this will help you out.

Acorn: Probably the most popular of all, these are about the size of a grapefruit with dark green deep ridges. The flesh is pumpkin colored and buttery to the palate.

Butternut: Shaped like a huge pear with buttery tan skin and moist golden flesh. These weigh 2 to 3 pounds.

Hubbard: These dark green monsters are 9 to 12 pounds and therefore are often sold by the chunk. They are great baked or steamed.

Spaghetti: Unlike other winter squash varieties, this is often referred to as vegetable spaghetti because many people pull the cooked flesh out like loose strands of spaghetti. They serve it with pasta sauce. You really have to stretch your imagination to do this - and I just can't. If God wanted us to believe it was spaghetti, He'd have planted a tomato inside.

There are numerous other varieties appearing on the American horizon from around the world, and they can be purchased dirt cheap this time of year and stored up for winter. They also can be cooked and frozen well before Holiday preparations have begun and enjoyed with the turkey.

acorn squash

brown sugar

bacon

Cut acorn squash in half and scoop out the seeds. Lay face down on a foil lined pan with a 'smidgen'of water added and 'steam' in oven for about 45 minutes. Remove from oven and turn over. Fill cavity with lots of brown sugar and butter and maybe some finely diced bacon to create a wonderful side dish to accompany a roast.

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Carol Chargot: Squash: An autumn staple

Squash is to fall what asparagus is to spring and cranberries are to the holidays. Squash is for the holidays, too, so you might want to stock up at the farmers markets, which are getting ready to